Car-coupling



W. KELSO.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1, 1919.

1,332,500. Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM KELSO, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCGONWAY 8c TORLEY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVAN IA.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application filed March 7, 1919. Serial No. 281,103.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM KELso, a

citizen of the United States residing atPittssuch type designed to be especially applicable to passenger cars. .The principal obj ect of the invention is to construct and combine the parts of the mechanism in such manner that a single formof bracket carried by the coupler head and supporting the means by which the coupler ISUIIlOOkBdIIIcLY be utilized to prevent the escape of the lower portion of the pivot pin connecting the coupler head and stem in the event such pivot pin is broken in service.

Generally stated, in a car coupler employing a downwardlv removable headed pivot pin for connecting the head andstem there of, the foregoing object is accomplished by providing mechanism for unlocking. the coupler involvinga bracket-carriedgby the coupler head and having a plurality of shoulders with either of which the head of the pivot pin is adapted to engage, the said brackethaving a plurality of oppositely disposed channels adaptedto permit the passage of the pivot pin head so as to permit the said bracket to be detached from the coupler head and being provided with shelves or flanges extending under and adapted to support the lower section of the pivot pin in the event of breakage of said pin.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car coupler mechanism embodying the invention, the rear end of the couplerstem and portions of the uncouplin levers being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a detail view, partly in elevation and partly in transverse vertical section, showing the normal relation of the coupler head, pivot pin and coupler release rigging bracket.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section on the line 33, Fig. 2, the pivot pin being in elevation.

Fig. 4c is a detail horizontal section on the line M, Fig. 3.

'Fig. 5 is a detail view in inverted plan showing the relation of the coupler head, release rigging bracket and pivot pin.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6-6, Fig. 3, looking toward the front ofthe coupler.

Fig. 7 is'a detail perspective coupler release rigging bracket.

Fig. Sis a detail view in inverted plan showing a portion of a coupler head now in use.

Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to Fig. 6,

view of the but illustrating the applicabiltv of my improved release rigging bracket thereto.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a coupler head having a knuckle 2 and provided with suitable means 3 for locking the knuckle in closed position, said locking means being illustrated as of the well known vertically movable type. The coupler head is pivotally connected to the coupler stem 4 by a ging by which the knuckle locking means is moved to unlocked position. By this means the bracket 11 1s supported by the coupler head 1 and is caused to rotate with said head. The bracket 11 is fashioned with a plural ity of spaced arms 12 which are adapted to receive between them the lower end of the pivot pin 5. -Each of these arms 12 is provided on its inner face with a longitudinall extending channel 13 of suflicient width to permit the passage of the head 6 of the pivot pin; and at the forward end of each arm and on opposite sides of the channel or groove 13 therein are shoulders 14% and 15, respectively, with either of which said pivot pin head is adapted to engage. Rearwardly of the shoulders 15 each of the arms 12 of the bracket is provided with a flange or shelf 16 by which the lower section of the pivot pin 5 is adapted to be supported in the event of breakage.

As shown in the drawings, it is preferred to make the head 6 of the pivot pin of hexagonal form and to form the lugs 14 and 15 which it is adapted to engage with correspondingly inclined faces, thus preventing the pivot pin 5 from rotating with respect to.

the release rigging bracket 11 and, therefore, also preventing it from turning with respect to the coupler head 1.

In other respects the bracket 11 may be made of a form suited to the accommodation of the particular designs of coupler release rigging elements which may be adopted for use therewith, but it is preferred to form said bracket 11 with a pair of rearwardly extending arms 17 having hook-like bearings 18 in which a lock actuating member 19 is journaled. This latter member is preferably provided with a pocket 20 receiving the upturned end 21 of an uncoupling lever or levers 22 extending to the sides of the car in the usual manner. By rotating the uncoupling lever in the proper direction the lock actuating member'19 is caused to swing upwardly and raise the coupler lock 3 to unlocked position permitting the knuckle 2 to be swung open.

In assembling the structure the coupler head 1 is brought into proper relation to the stem 4 and the pivot pin 5 is then inserted from beneath the head. The bracket 11 is then put in place by entering its shoulders or flanges 10 in the corresponding guideways 9 of the coupler head and sliding it forwardly while the head 6 of the pivot pin is maintained in proper position to pass through the channels 13 of the bracket. When the shoulders 14; and 15 of the bracket have passed the head of the pivot pin the said pin is drawn up by the nut 7 so that the p1vot pin head 6 stands behind the shoulders 1 1 of the bracket and thus retains it in assembled position.

When the pivot pin is intact its head 6 engages the upper shoulders 1 1 of the bracket 11. If it should be broken its lower section will drop slightly and be supported on the shelves 16, its head 6 standing behind the lugs 15 of the bracket and thereby retaining the bracket in proper assembled relation to the coupler head 1.

The under side of many pivoted coupler heads 1 now in service are formed adjacent the pivot pin hole with lugs 1". using couplers constructed in accordance with my invention as well as couplers havingheads provided with lugs 1 need not Railroads carry two separate patterns of release rigging brackets 11 in stock for repairs, because by providing the upper side of the bracket llwith recesses 23 for receiving the lugs 1 the bracket 11 may be used with either form of coupler head.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a coupler head and its knuckle locking means, of a. coupler stem, a downwardly removable headed pivot pin for pivotally connecting said head and stem, and mechanism for moving said knuckle locking means to unlocked position, said mechanism involving a bracket having a plurality of vertically spaced shoulders with either of which said pivot pin head is adapted to engage.

2. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a coupler head and its knuckle locking means, of a coupler stem, a downwardly removable headed pivot pin for pivotally connecting said coupler head and stem, and mechanism for moving said knuckle locking means to unlocked position, said mechanism involving a bracket having aplurality of shoulders with either of which said pivot pin head is adapted to engage, and said bracket also having a channel intervening between said shoulders and adapted 13) permit the passage of said pivot pin hea 3. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a coupler head and its knuckle locking means, of a coupler stem, a downwardly removable headed pivot pin for pivotally connecting said coupler head and stem, and mechanism for moving said knuckle locking means to unlocked position, said mechanism involving a bracket having a plurality of arms adapted to straddle said pivot pin and having a plurality of oppositely disposed channels adapted to permit the passage of said. pivot pin head and also having on opposite sides of said channels a plurality of shoulders with either of which said pivot pin head is adapted to engage.

4;. In a device of the character indicated,

the combination with a coupler head and its knuckle locking means, of a coupler stem, a downwardly removable pivot pin for pivotally connecting said head and stem, and mechanism for moving said knuckle locking means to unlocked position, said mechanism involving a bracket having shouldered engagement with said pin and constituting means for supporting said pin against accidental displacement and for preventing turning of said pin with respect to said bracket. v

5. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a coupler head and its. knuckle locking means, of a coupler stem, a pivot pin: for pivotally connecting said head and stem, and mechanism for moving said knuckle locking means to unlocked position,

. said mechanism involving a bracket having shouldered engagement with said head preventing rotation of said bracket with respect to said head, said pivot pin having shouldered engagement with said bracket preventing rotation of said pin with respect to said bracket, and said bracket constituting means for supporting said in and preventing accidental displacement thereof.

6. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a coupler head and its knuckle locking means, of a coupler stem, a downwardly removable headed pivot pin for pivotally connecting said coupler head and stem, and mechanism for moving said knuckle locking means to unlocked position, said mechanism involving a bracket having an open ended slot through which said pivot pin extends, said pivot pin head having overlapping engagement with said bracket,

and said bracket constituting means for preventing accidental displacement of said pivot pin.

7. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a coupler head and its knuckle locking means, of a coupler stem, at downwardly removable headed pivot pin for pivotally connecting said coupler head and stem, and mechanism for moving said knuckle locking means to unlocked position, said mechanism involving a bracket having a plurality of shoulders with either of which said pivot pin head is adapted to engage, said bracket having a channel intervening between said shoulders and adapted to per mit the passage of said pivot pin head, and said bracket also being provided with a shelf extending beneath said pivot pin and adapted to support said pin.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAlH KELSO. 

